Regional Supperclub Style Dining at Kanishka Indian Restaurant, Mayfair

Last Updated on July 29, 2026

A Taste of Goa – a six-course tasting experience by Atul Kochhar and Ashok Kumar

4.5 out of 5.0 stars

Kanishka is a discreet and petite Indian restaurant tucked away just behind Regent Street in the heart of Mayfair. The name itself comes from ‘King Kanishka’ – an emperor in the second Kushan Dynasty who was known for his military, political and spiritual achievements.

Atul Kochhar is the man behind the brand. He is one of Britain’s most influential Indian chefs, becoming the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star. He has championed India’s regional cooking, combining the classical and contemporary for a dining experience that always feels very special.

The everyday menus at Kanishka are inspired by ‘Atul’s love of traditional Indian cuisine, brought to life by his continuous research into ever-evolving regional recipes, combined with his dedication to using only the finest ingredients’. Executive Chef Ashok Kumar heads up the kitchen to bring this vision to life, highlighting the distinct flavours of India’s Northeast, including Assam, Nagaland and Sikkim, alongside signature dishes that express their individual cooking styles.

This meal, however, was ‘off menu’. One of a series of Supperclub Style Dining Experiences bringing to life the food of different regions of India with seasonal British ingredients. The menu was inspired by the sun-soaked coastline of India’s western shores – Goa. Here the food has been influenced by centuries of Portuguese and Indian traditions and is renowned for its bold spices, tangy palm vinegar, seafood, coconut, cashews and, of course, bold spices and fragrant herbs.

We started with ‘Nashta ’, which loosely translates as ‘snacks’ or ‘picky bits’. It was a Rawa Prawn Balchao. I was intrigued as I’d never had this preparation before. I spent most of my time in Goa gorging on seafood directly off the boat and onto the grills on the beach. This was much more sophisticated. Slightly sweet with a pungent spice hit. The morsels were bite-sized, but they certainly woke us up for the dishes to come! The accompanying Lychee Bellini took a little of the heat away.

Next up Crab Xec Xec – pronounced shek‑shek. It is a thick, coconut‑based curry most famously made with lobster. The name comes from the sound the shells make as they cook. Here it was served in wafer-thin pastry cases with pickled chilli and herb oil. An absolute explosion of flavours in a single hit. I could have eaten about 10 more, but sadly our waiter advised there were no leftovers.

We moved on to a dish I do remember eating in Goa. We’d arrived at our hotel with a plane load of stags and hens and a buffet serving up a mishmash of international foods. Disappointed, we had checked out of the hotel, found a little hut down the road and joined the queue for a stall serving today’s catch with ‘recheado’ masala. The masala paste is typically made from a blend of dried red chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and vinegar – usually Goan coconut or palm vinegar. The vinegar is key, as it gives recheado its characteristic sharpness.

It was unlike anything I’d ever tasted before, and conservatively we had ordered one to share between us. We promptly queued again for another round and were treated to it on the house with a toothy grin from the fisherman’s wife. No queuing for this version, which used red snapper and was served with a little rice cake called Sanna and some grilled baby gem lettuce. A very different experience but the flavours did feel vaguely familiar.

I loved the story of the next course with its links to Africa. Goan cafreal is a green marinade of coriander, green chillies, curry leaves, garlic and warming spices which was introduced to Goa via Portuguese East Africa in the 16^th century. Chicken is usually the meat that is used, and here it was accompanied by a soothing cashew gravy that I could have eaten as a soup.

Onwards to the final course served with nutty red rice as is common in the south and little buttery bread rolls or pan. Xacuti – pronounced sha-koo-ti – is one of Goa’s richest and most complex curries, renowned for its deeply aromatic spice blend. It combines roasted coconut with a generous mix of spices – typically coriander seeds, cumin, fennel, poppy seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and dried red chillies to create a sauce that is nutty, earthy and intensely fragrant.

Our jackfruit version was every bit as flavourful as the lamb – my carnivorous dining companion did a taste comparison to ensure vegetarians are not missing out. And indeed, we weren’t. I was also treated to yet another superbly cooked fish with a favourite of mine – mehdu vada. These are crispy, golden discs of blended and slightly fermented rice flour. A staple breakfast when I was travelling in southern India last year. How did chef know?

By this point we were incredibly full, and despite asking to share a dessert, our waiter was having none of it. It was of course the infamous Bebinca – a multi-layered ‘cake’ made with coconut milk, egg yolks, flour, sugar and ghee. Each thin layer is baked individually before the next is added – a painstaking process that can result in anything from seven to sixteen delicate layers.

This slow construction gives bebinca its distinctive layered appearance and a texture that is soft and lightly caramelised. It is often served warm with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of cream, but Chef had paired it with a raspberry sorbet and a passion fruit caramel. I somehow found space to finish the whole lot.

Throughout our meal, Atul and Ashok wandered among us answering questions, posing for photos and explaining the cooking. It did very much feel like a homely supper club – just one with a level of cooking that aligns with a fine dining ethos.

These intimate events in the private dining room of the main restaurant take place regularly, and you can sign up to the Kanishka Newsletter to be alerted to future dates.

At £75 a head, they are incredible value. The next one is on 28^th August and spotlights the food of Chennai.

Kanishka by Atul Kochhar

17-19 Maddox Street,
Mayfair, London, W1S 2QH

For reservations call 020 3667 9990 or email info@kanishkarestaurant.co.uk

For more Indian Restaurant Inspiration, try Chatora City in St Paul’s, Copper Chimney in Westfield or The Great Indian at Archway